1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to handheld user devices, and more particularly to hands-off detection and deactivation for handheld user devices.
2. Background
In addition to call quality, the battery life of a mobile user device is one of the most important considerations when choosing a handset. Modern day mobile devices have a breadth of applications and capabilities which all take a toll on the battery life of the device. Furthermore, a user is often unable to connect the mobile device to a power source for charging. Therefore, maximizing the lifespan of a mobile device's battery between charges is of critical importance.
Battery life between charges can be extended by putting the device into sleep mode while the user is not using the device. Sleep mode refers to a low power mode for electronic devices that can save significant power consumption compared to leaving the device fully on. When the user resumes use of the device, the device does not need to be restarted and may resume normal operation with any user input such as an arbitrary button push or physical movement of the device.
It is a challenge to accurately and intelligently detect when a user is not using the device, and therefore when to go into sleep mode. For example, when a user is listening to music or watching a video program, the mobile device should accurately determine whether or not the user is using the device and therefore whether or not to enter into sleep mode. Some current solutions include manually pressing the power button, a fixed or adaptive timer to dim the screen or pause the music or video player, or using a built-in camera to track the user's gaze under proper lighting conditions.